MACKINAC ISLAND — A man was rescued from the ice about one mile off the west shore of the island Sunday afternoon after becoming stranded in extreme winter conditions. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw picked the man up after local firefighters were hampered by waist-deep snow and jagged ice.
According to Mackinac Island Fire Chief Jason St. Onge, the incident began at 4:40 p.m. Deputy Chief Larry Rickley had previously advised the man not to go onto the ice due to weather conditions described as worse than a whiteout.
St. Onge said rescuers established contact with the man and used a translator over the phone to instruct him to stay in his position until help arrived.
Drifting snow and jagged terrain made progress difficult. The crew encountered waist-deep drifts as they moved away from the shore. It took the team nearly 40 minutes to walk 2,000 feet.
Mackinac County Emergency Manager Bryce Tracy worked with central dispatch and shore-based firefighters to track the crew members after they disappeared into the whiteout.
The victim attempted to follow his GPS to meet the advancing firefighters, but he eventually encountered open water and could not proceed. The U.S. Coast Guard initially reported they could not reach the man or place guardsmen on the ice. Shortly after, the Cutter Mackinaw notified officials that the crew could see the man and would attempt a rescue. The cutter successfully picked up the individual as the firefighters began their walk back to shore.
The department noted that another person had asked about ice conditions earlier that day. St. Onge told them they would likely be lost if they attempted a crossing in the current weather. The fire chief never endorses the safety of the ice or manages its security. Travelers are warned that every trip onto the ice is taken at their own risk.